Artith Ann "Artie" Barefoot

A celebration of life service for Artith Ann "Artie" Barefoot, age 76, of Cache, Oklahoma, will be 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at the Cache United Methodist Church, 301 West C Avenue, Cache, Oklahoma 73527, with Pastor Gary Tahmahkera officiating. 

Burial will follow in the Highland Cemetery, Lawton, Oklahoma, under the direction of Jackson Funeral Home of Frederick, Oklahoma.

Visitation will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at the church prior to the service.

Artith Ann “Artie” Barefoot was born on October 2, 1949, in Lawton, Oklahoma, to Charles Leon Thompson and Mary Sue Runyan. Surrounded by those who loved her, Artie peacefully departed this life on August 20, 2026, at INTEGRIS Health Woodward Hospital.

Artie graduated from Cache High School with the Class of 1967, where she proudly served as manager of the girls’ basketball team. She later worked as a secretary for the Oklahoma State Department of Health from 1987 until her retirement in 2000.

Those who knew Artie knew there were two things at the very center of her life: her love for Jesus and her love for her family. She loved her children fiercely and took tremendous pride in her family. Her faith was an important part of who she was and remained a source of strength throughout her life.

Artie also knew how to enjoy the things she loved. She was a devoted Oklahoma City Thunder and Oklahoma Sooners fan and was always ready to cheer on her teams. She enjoyed music, especially Johnny Rivers, and was thrilled to have the opportunity to see him in concert. Artie was also known for her unmistakable voice and her sense of style. Her hair had to be just right, her makeup just right, and no outfit was complete without the perfect jewelry. Artie believed in looking her best, and she did so with a personality all her own.

On August 29, 1992, Artie married Mark Barefoot in Cache, Oklahoma. Through their marriage, she was blessed with what she lovingly considered two of the greatest sons in the world, Mark Neal and Shawn. Together, Artie and Mark built a life filled with family, memories, and love.

Artie was preceded in death by the father of her daughters, Ernest Wakefield; her parents, Charles Thompson and Mary Runyan; her daughter, Andrea Zaring; and her stepmother, Betsy Thompson.

She leaves behind her husband, Mark Barefoot, of their home in Cache, Oklahoma; her daughters, Audrey Keck and Brenda Huenergardt, of Woodward, Oklahoma; her son Shawn Barefoot and wife Rachael, of Sulphur, Oklahoma; and her son Mark Neal Barefoot and wife Estella, of Panama City, Panama.

Artie was especially proud of her grandchildren: Alex and Shay Keck, of Newcastle, Oklahoma; Faith and Frankie Rodriguez, of Norman, Oklahoma; Hailey Barefoot, of Davis, Oklahoma; Jordan Barefoot and wife Haley, of Sulphur, Oklahoma; Gianni Cipponeri, Lucia Cipponeri, Lucas Barefoot, of Panama City, Panama, and Raven Smith Pennington.

Her family continued to grow through the blessing of her great-grandchildren: Bodee, Bradee, Nature, Montana, Mitchell, Kowen, Alice, Michael, Maelani, Isaiah, Alexis, and Jaiden.

And no list of those Artie loved would be complete without mentioning her very special grand dog, Stormy June, who held a place all her own in Artie’s heart.

She is also survived by her sisters, Susan Hill and husband Mark, of Rogers, Arkansas, and Janey Demarcus and Mark Ferrell, of Apache, Oklahoma; her brothers, Jerry Thompson, of Tuttle, Oklahoma, and Brad Lockhart and wife Karma, of The Woodlands, Texas; along with many other relatives and friends who loved her dearly.

Artie will be remembered for her faith, her unmistakable personality, her love of family, her voice, her style, and the way she made sure those she loved knew exactly how much they meant to her. Her absence will be deeply felt, but the stories, laughter, lessons, and love she leaves behind will continue through the generations of her family.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt and sincere thank-you to the administration, physicians, nurses, rehabilitation team, respiratory, and staff of INTEGRIS Health Woodward Hospital for the exceptional compassion, dignity, kindness, and loving care shown to Artie and her family during her final days. The care provided to Artie, as well as the support extended to those who loved her, will always be remembered with deep gratitude.

Honorary pallbearers will be Mark Ferrell, Gianni Cipponeri, Lucas Barefoot, and Joe Bill Runyan.

Artie loved her family deeply, she loved her Jesus faithfully, and she lived life unmistakably as herself. She will be loved, remembered, and missed beyond measure.